SAN ANGELO, TX – The need for faster testing has been an issue that has plagued communities since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic and it appears San Angelo will finally have access to same-day testing kits.
Tom Green County's Local Health Authority Dr. John Vretis confirmed that Shannon Medical Center would be offering Abbott ID Tests to the community in the coming days. These tests can offer COVID-19 results in less than 20 minutes.
Abbott ID Tests will be processed in San Angelo and will accelerate the access to results. This will allow an increase in the number of potentially infected individuals that are tested and provide citizens data that shows the true impact the virus has had in this community.
San Angelo testing numbers appear to show a decrease in the daily reports from the health department here, but according to Dr. Vretis, this could be attributed to the community experiencing a decrease in the urgency to get tested.
“Back when we were getting a lot of positives there were lines around the corner," said Dr. Vretis, referring to the two drive-through testing centers.
On Thursday, April 24, the city reported only 26 new tests from everywhere - Shannon's testing centers, San Angelo Community Medical Center, West Texas Medical Associates, and the clinics. Shannon closed the second drive-through testing center on the Angelo State University campus last week due to a decrease in demand.
Removing restrictions on mass gatherings and loosening social distancing guidelines could have a negative impact if coronavirus-positive individuals who have never been tested re-enter society without being aware they are carriers of the virus.
"If we don't test for it, we won't know about it," said the local health authority for Tom Green County and San Angelo, Dr. James Vretis. "We don't want to be one of those communities that...all of a sudden gets a whole bunch of positives because we didn't know we had asymptomatic cases."
One of the main concerns is that patients that may be asymptomatic or only exhibit minimal symptoms choose to forgo testing because they don't think their symptoms are severe enough.
Dr. Vretis emphasized its imperative for anyone who has symptoms, even if mild, to be tested. These patients can unknowingly spread the virus to people who may have adverse reactions and face critical health complications.
"We had a relatively small bump in the number of cases and I worry if we open too fast and we are not testing, we can find ourselves back where we started," said Dr. Vretis.
In San Angelo, less than four percent of those tested had a positive result of 1,191 tests that have been administered. In Texas 242,547 COVID-19 tests have been conducted, meaning less than one percent of the state's 29 million population has been tested.
Increased testing, adhering to socially distancing guidelines, and monitoring symptoms can be great tools that allow the city of San Angelo to return to its daily hustle and bustle.
"I can't wait for the city to open up completely," said Dr. Vretis.
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These tests aren’t really all that useful. Sure, if you currently have the virus, the test will tell you. However, if you get tested and are virus-free there’s no guarantee you won’t walk out the door and be exposed. What we really need are the antibody tests that will show if you’ve already had the virus and are now immune. That information would be more useful than a mere snapshot of your current status. I predict, once the antibody tests are widely available, we’ll all be shocked to learn how many folks had this virus back in December and January and thought it was the flu. But that would destroy the current hair-on-fire hysteria over this COVID-19 . . . so don’t hold your breath waiting for the antibody test. Just “isolate,” “social distance,” quarantine yourself, lose your job, starve, and become a serf to the state. And learn to live with the “new normal!” Our government will tell you how to live; your rights be dammed. After all, its okay to lose your liberty for the common good.
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PermalinkI agree that if you have no symptoms, the test is only going to tell you that you are virus free for that moment with no guarantee you won't get it later. However, I also believe it would be useful for those who are asymptomatic and are still carriers. People with very mild symptoms or just the sniffles that they might otherwise attribute to a cold or allergies should get tested so that if they're positive they can self quarantine and not spread it. I'm speaking to those still out working at places like Walmart, HEB, etc. As far as the antibody testing, I agree that is the one that can really tell us something. While on vacation in Indiana, I got sick in early December with something terrible. It left me with a horrible unproductive cough which after a lot of mucinex I finally recovered. Looking back now, I believe there is a possibility I could have had it back then and would like to be tested to find out if I might be able to help others and at least know I am immune for now.
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PermalinkCan you hear it???!! Yep I definitely hear it! I hear the rattle of the feed bucket.
Time to line up sheeple. Obey your new minders. There is absolutely noway we can traverse this without their stern guidance!
Who needs the Bill of Rights when we have people like this?!
So come on!! Line up!
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PermalinkI question the being immune for once having the COVID-19. Sure those laying a coffin waiting for burial are immune, that's not my idea of anything good. I try to stay informed on the virus and have not heard of any scientific claim that there is immunity after once being infected. As far as losing liberty, that's carrying it to the extreme since it is not only your life that but the lives of others that are in jeopardy. A think person realizes that material things can be replaced, not so for a persons' life.
The test is not worthless, if a person test negative and practices the recommended procedures then they have good chance of remaining uninfected, that said the test is to find positive infections, a person testing negative is not a concern except as a statistic. Put simply the test is to find COVID-19 infections.
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PermalinkYour almighty government will save you!!
from yourself and us other heartless bastards that refuse to buy these incessant lies.
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